Rockets sign Dexter Pittman, waive Greg Smith

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With center Greg Smith unable to come back from his knee injury, the Rockets on Thursday signed center Dexter Pittman out of the NBA Development League for the remainder of the season and next season, with next season non-guaranteed. The team waived Smith to open the roster spot.

“We were holding on as long as we could, “Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. “We wanted Greg to come back healthy. We thought that was our best option, but at this point, it looks like he will miss the season. We needed to have someone who could play the five against certain lineups if Dwight or Omer would take an injury. Dexter right now is the best 5 in the D-League, we think.”

Morey said signing a center was not related to Dwight Howard’s injury, saying he expected Howard to play in one of the remaining games this week.

“It’s all about Greg and that he’s not going to play this year,” Morey said.

Pittman, who was a second-round pick of the Miami Heat out of Texas and was part of a Heat championship team, averaged 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds with the Austin Toros this season. Pittman, a 6-11, 285-pound center, starred at Terry High School. He had a 10-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks in March, but was released in time to be eligible for the Rockets’ post-season roster.

The Rockets reached out to Marcus Camby several weeks ago, a person with knowledge of the conversation said, but were told that Camby would not be available this season. Camby was waived before the season while struggling to come back from a foot injury, but could return to the NBA next season.

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